High conductivity graphene-metal composite

Abstract

Embodiments of the present technology include graphene-metal composites. An example graphene-metal composite comprises a porous metal foam substrate, a graphene layer deposited to the porous metal foam substrate, a metal layer applied to the graphene layer, and another graphene layer deposited to the metal layer; the multilayered porous metal foam substrate being compressed to form a graphene-metal composite.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A graphene-metal composite comprising:
 a porous metal foam substrate, the porous metal foam substrate having a plurality of areas; 
 a thermoplastic material selectively introduced into voids of at least one area of the plurality of areas of the porous metal foam substrate, the thermoplastic material forming thermal paths through the at least one area of the porous metal foam substrate; and 
 a graphene layer deposited to the porous metal foam substrate, the porous metal foam substrate, the thermoplastic material, and the graphene layer being compressed to form a graphene-metal composite. 
 
     
     
       2. The graphene-metal composite according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous metal foam substrate is nickel or copper foam. 
     
     
       3. The graphene-metal composite according to  claim 1 , wherein the porosity of the porous metal foam substrate is at least 70%. 
     
     
       4. The graphene-metal composite according to  claim 1 , wherein the graphene layer is deposited to the porous metal foam substrate by chemical vapor deposition. 
     
     
       5. The graphene-metal composite according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous metal foam substrate with graphene applied is compressed to substantially close the voids in the porous metal foam substrate and make the compressed porous metal foam substrate with graphene applied thinner than the thickness of the non-compressed porous metal foam substrate. 
     
     
       6. A graphene-metal composite comprising:
 a porous metal foam substrate, the porous metal foam substrate having a plurality of areas; 
 a thermoplastic material selectively introduced into voids of at least one area of the plurality of areas of the porous metal foam substrate, the thermoplastic material forming thermal paths through the at least one area of the porous metal foam substrate; 
 a first graphene layer deposited to the porous metal foam substrate; 
 a metal layer applied to the first graphene layer; and 
 a second graphene layer deposited to the metal layer, the thermoplastic material, and at least some of the layers being compressed to form a graphene-metal composite. 
 
     
     
       7. The graphene-metal composite according to  claim 6 , wherein at least a second metal layer is applied to the second graphene layer and at least a third graphene layer is deposited to the second metal layer. 
     
     
       8. The graphene-metal composite according to  claim 6 , wherein the first graphene layer is deposited to the porous metal foam substrate by chemical vapor deposition. 
     
     
       9. The graphene-metal composite according to  claim 6 , wherein the porous metal foam substrate with the first graphene layer applied is compressed to substantially close the voids in the porous metal foam substrate and make the compressed porous metal foam substrate with the first graphene layer applied thinner than the thickness of the non-compressed porous metal foam substrate.